JOURNEY
by SHADOWALKR
Summary: Returning to Everwood after almost six years, Hayden Macloed will come face to face with the life she left behind, and meeting the Brown family will change her life forever and take her on a journey that she never expected.
1. EPILOGUE

**"Journey"** Epilogue 

Hayden Macleod was quite on the drive to Everwood. It had been almost six years since she had been there last, and that was like an eternity.

Dr. Harold Abbott had been much like a brother to her; he had been the life long friend of her godfather. Now, Hayden was back in Everwood to pay a visit to the Abbott family.

As she drove into the city limits, Hayden smiled; Everwood was still as beautiful as she remembered. Stopping in front of Dr. Abbott's office, Hayden locked her car door, and went inside.

"Can I help you?" the nurse at the desk asked. Hayden smiled, "I'd like to see Dr. Abbott if he has time." she said, speak in a strong Scottish accent. "Do you have an appointment?" "No, I'm not a patient, but if you tell him a Ms. Macleod is here, he'll see me." Hayden replied with a smile.

"Just a moment." the nurse said as she headed in the direction of his office.

Hayden could remember when it was Harold Abbott, Sr. who had this office, and now, just as it should be, the son had taken over the family business. She was still smiling when she heard that familiar voice call her name from behind. "Hayden, is that really you?" Harold said, not waiting for a reply as he pulled her close for a hug. "You look great."

Hayden smiled he hadn't changed. "And so do you, Harold, maybe a bit more gray, but no less handsome." she said, running her fingers through the sides of his hair.

"What brings you back to Everwood after what, six years now."  
"I thought it was time," she said, but something didn't seem right. "What's wrong, Hayden?" Harold asked. For a moment, she was silent, turning her eyes downward from his gaze.

"It's been a year now since Joe died. I came more for him then anything else, he wouldn't have liked my staying away so long." Joseph Macleod, older brother to her father, close friend to her mother, and godfather to her. He had been her world since the death of her parents when she was 8 years old, and he was gone now, leaving Hayden to be the last in a long bloodline.

"I still can't believe he's dead." Harold said, putting his arm around her, and leading her to his office.

Hayden couldn't speak for the knot in her throat. Joe had been a father to her, more than her real father, and there were times that she believed he really was her father, she was more like him than the man who had been called father.

"I want the years I lost with him back," she said softly, as a single tear escaped from her eye.

"It's not fair." a bit of anger in her voice as she brushed the tear away, and took a deep breath.

"So, " she said, changing the subject before she gave in to the urge to cry. "How's everyone at your house?"

Harold smiled; she could always change topics so fast. "They're fine. Wait until you see the kids."

Hayden listened as he talked about his two children, Bright was now 17, and Amy, 15. Six years will have made a world of difference in these two kids, and Hayden could easily remember when they were born.

She had been 15 when Bright was born, and had enjoyed babysitting him when she could. Then Amy came along when she was 17. This one was totally different then the little boy that had come 2 years earlier. Hayden had returned to Scotland when Amy was a year old, and had been back several times since then, but this six-year span had been the longest she had been away.

Things had changed, and although Amy wrote her letters, Hayden still felt as if she had been gone forever.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

Hayden was 32 now, yet there were times she still felt like a teenager. There were many things she missed growing up, things that she should have done, and things that should have never happened.

She could hear Harold talking, but not what he said for her thoughts had drifted to the past and the first time she had sat in this office. It had been the Sr. Dr. Abbott who had saw her that first time she had gotten in a fight, a black eye, a busted lip, and a fractured wrist. "I hope the other guy look worse than you do," he had said to her, smiling as he put a splint on her wrist. Hayden had said nothing.

"Hayden," came a voice into her thoughts, "Are you alright?" For a long moment, Hayden said nothing, then smiling, she said, "I'm sorry. I was just remembering something your father had said to me." The memory still strong in her mind, Hayden stood to her feet. "Where are you going now?" Harold said to her. "To visit your father." Hayden said simply. Harold was taken aback for a moment, then said simply, "You're expected for dinner, Rose and the kids will be happy to see you." "I'll be there. Don't worry." Hayden replied, hugging him again, and turned to leave.

The cemetery was as peaceful as it had ever been, maybe more. Hayden made her way through the tombstones stopping when she reached the one marked ABBOTT. Placing the single rose she had brought with her onto the stone, Hayden knelt beside the cold grave. Silence, almost deafening, fell around her as she bowed head. A long moment past, and softly she whispered, "I could sure use your help with this, Doc." She had always called him Doc, from the beginning, and the memory made her smile.

"I know that I should be talking to Joe, but I just can't. I haven't been here since the funeral, and I know he would be upset with me for not coming back." As she spoke, a single tear ran down her cheek. "I don't know what to do, Doc, I thought I was ready, but I don't think I can do it, not now, and maybe not ever." Silence again fell between Hayden and the man that lay beneath the ground, and for just a moment, Hayden forgot everything, and blocked out the world.

At first, Hayden thought it had been her own heart she heard beating, but with an unexpected surge the vision came with a jolt. She saw a little girl, had to be around 8 or 9 years old. She was pretty, and she was laughing as she rode her bike. The sight brought a smile to Hayden, but then, as the vision went on, she saw the car speeding towards the girl, but the girl didn't see the car. Trying to focus on the scene around her, Hayden knew she had to find this girl before it was too late. With another flash, the vision was gone, and Hayden jumped to her feet. Hurrying to her car, Hayden tried to remember the location she had seen the little girl; she knew she had to hurry, or the vision would become reality.

Leaving the cemetery, she turned back towards town. The old train station, she remembered seeing the old train station in the vision. Hayden's heartbeat quicken as she headed into town. Please let me be there in time. She silently prayed as the turned on to the main street. Suddenly, Hayden saw the girl, and just like the vision, she was riding a bike. Stopping in the middle of the street, Hayden came out of her car almost in a run. Suddenly, Hayden saw the car speed around the corner, and as if in slow motion, the vision replayed itself to her as she ran for the girl. The driver in the car must have seen her, and tires squalled as Hayden pushed the girl from her bike, and took the hit herself.

Everything was fuzzy like she was in a tunnel. She could hear the words, but she couldn't see anyone. "I didn't see her, I couldn't stop, oh, God, is she dead?" she heard a frantic voice say. "She's not dead, Margaret." this came from Harold, a voice she knew. "Just calm down, and relax." He said again. "Don't you think we should get her inside." his voice full of concern. "I don't want to move her until I know there's no damage to her spine. She just saved my daughters life; I don't want to take the chance of paralyzing her as a thank you. What's her name?" Hayden didn't know this voice; it was different, not from around here. His daughter.

With that thought, she heard him calling her name. "Hayden." he said, as if trying to wake her from sleep. "Hayden, can you hear me?" Again he called to her, but the only sound she could make seemed to be a moan. The pain rippled through her as she opened her eyes to see the face of the man bending over her.   
"Can you tell me where it hurts?" he asked. "For God's sake." Harold said, "Don't you think it hurts pretty much all over." His words made her smile, same old Harold. "It was a fair question to ask, don't you think." she said, laying a hand on his. Turning to look at the other man again, she said, "Mostly my leg." Looking from one man to the other, Hayden could tell there was tension between these two men. "Is the girl alright?" she asked, concern apparent in her voice. "She's fine, thanks to you," the man said softly. "Let's get you inside and see about that leg." As he bent to lift her into his arms, he said, "Do you have objections to me taking her to my office, Dr. Abbott?" "Oh, for the love of God." she heard Harold say, as she was carried into another clinic with a sign that read, Dr. Brown's Family Practice. "I heard there was a new doctor in town." Hayden said as he carried her into an exam room.   
"That'd be me. Dr. Andy Brown, at your service." he said with a smile, then "and in your debt. Thank you for what you did for Delia, if you hadn't been there..." he stopped there, turning away from her. Hayden just looked at him. "No, problem." she said, "I've been hit before, and she's terribly pretty to get hit by a car, don't you think." It had been said to lighten the situation, and the desired effect was accomplished, and Hayden smiled as Dr. Andy Brown turned back to face her. "Yeah, I think so. Now, lets see about this leg." he said, began to cut her pants away from her body.


End file.
